Gelatinization of cellulose nitric esters in the manufacture of explosives



UNITED snares PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM RHWI'OUL AND THOMAS JOSEPH NOLAN, OF STEVENSTON, SCOTLAND, ASSIGNORS TO NOBELS EXPLOSIVES COMPANY LIMITED, OF STEVENSTON,

AYBSHIBE, SCOTLAND.

GELATINIZATION OF C ELLULOSE NITRIC ESTERS IN THE SIVES.

1,348, 741. Specification of Letters Patent.

No Drawing.

- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM Rm'roun and THOMAS JOSEPH NOLAN, both subjects of the King of Great Britain, residin at Ardeer Factory, Stevenston, Ayrshire, cotland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements Relating to the Gelatinization of Cellulose Nitric Esters in the Manufacture of Explosives, of which the follow- 1115 15 a specification.

his invention relates to the gelatinization of cellulose nitric esters in the manufacture of ex losives.

In British atent No. 12743 of 1912 it has been shown that all members of the class of chemical substances known as urethanes possess the property of stabilizing nitric esters. Again in British Patent No. 4941 of 1913, it has further been shown that these bodies are capable of being used as gelatinizing agents in the preparation of nitric esters explosives. Further work in connection with this class of bodies has led to the discovery of a subclass of the urethanes which possess certain important advantages as gelatinizing or gelatinizing and stabilizing agents over members of other subclasses of the urethanes. This sub-class is characterized by containing attached to the nitrogen two aromatic groups, one of which is a benzyl or substituted benzyl group. For example, if benzyl anilin-or benzyl orthotoluidin is acted upon by ethyl chlorformate either in alcoholic solution containing sodium carbonate in suspension orin presence of an aqueous solution of sodium carbonate, there are produced substances which have been identified as phenyl benzyl urethane and benzyl-ortho-tolyl urethane depending on the nature of amin employed. These new substances are slight? yellow viscous oils, having a faint odor. henyl benzyl urethane boils at 185190 C. at 10 mm. pressure, while benzyl-ortho-tolyl urethane boils at 195 C at 11 mm. pressure. The members of this sub-class possess all the characteristics of an ideal gelatinizing and stabilizmg body in a high degree and have tn further advantage that the simpler and more effective members of the group are readlly manufactured from raw materials which are easily obtainable The invention consists in nitrocellulose containing explosives for pmpellent, blast- MANUFACTURE OF EXPLO- Patented Aug. 3, 1920.

Application fiIedYMay 19, 1919; Serial No. 298,135.

-matic groups, one of WhlCh is a benzyl or substituted benzyl group with or without the addition of subsidiary gelatinizing and/0r stabilizing agents.

The invention also consists in gelatinizing cellulose nitric esters or materials containmg the same in the manufacture of explosives by the aid of the said sub-class of urethanes.

In carrying this invention into effect by way of example, we prepare the urethanes from the corres onding secondary amins by suspending the atter in an aqueous solution of sodium carbonate, or dissolving them in alcohol containing the requisite amount of sodium carbonate in suspension and adding ethyl chlorformate. According to one method of preparing the urethanes we proceed as follows :39 parts of ethyl chlorformate are slowly added to 61 parts of henzyl anilin suspended in a 15% aqueous solution of sodium carbonatewarmed to about 40 C. The phenyl benzyl urethane formed separates as a viscous oil, which can be purified from the admixed benzyl anilin by extraction with warm dilute hydrochloric or other acid, and subsequently purified.

These urethanes may also be prepared by the methods applicable to urethanes as a class, viz., for example, by the action of sodium ethylate upon phenyl benzyl urea chlorid or by the action of benzyl chlorid on the sodium derivative of phenyl urethane, phenyl benzyl urethane may be prepared.

As examples of non-solvent colloidal propulsive nitroglycerin explosives prepared by the use of these substances alone or together with other gelatinizing or stabilizing agents, we would quote the follow1ngz- For a powder which is to be produced in the form of a cord, tube, strip or the like, we

have found the following composition to be satisfactory \V e find the following compositions to be suitable for the production of powders These compositions have been found to possess the same ballistic properties as the British service explosive cordite M. D. It is to be understood that they can be modified very considerably to give other required ballistic results. 7

The explosives described may be manufactured accordin to the methods given in British Patent No. 4940 of 1913.

We also find that the members of this subclass of urethanes may be used with advantage over other compounds in preparing the detonator colloidal ex losives described in British specification o. 6481 of 1917, substituting these members for the gelatinizing and stabilizing agents otherwise used. They may also be used in the preparation of blasting explosives by the methods described in British specifications Nos. 14655/15 and 16616/16.

Having now described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Let- 40 ters Patent is 1. Nitrocellulose containing explosives for propellent, blasting or detonant purposes, having as ingredients at least one Diphenyl urethane member of the sub-class of urethanes characterized by containing attached to the nitrogen atom two aromatic groups, one of which is a benzyl group.

2. Nitrocellulose containing explosives for propellent, blasting or detonant purposes, having as ingredients at least one member of the sub-class of urethanes characterized by containing attached to the nitrogen atom two aromatic groups, one of -which is a benzyl group with the addition of a subsidary gelatinizing agent.

, 3. Nitrocellulose containing explosives for propellent; blasting or detonant purposes, having as ingredients at least one member of the sub-class of urethanes characterized by containing attached to the nitrogen atom two aromatic groups, one of which is a benzyl group with the addition of a subsidary stabilizing agent.

4. Nitrocellulose containing explosives for propellent, blasting or detonant purposes, having as ingredients at least one member of the sub-class of urethanes characterized by contaning attached to the nitrogen atom two aromatic groups, one of which is a benzyl group with the addition of a subsidary combined gelatinizing and stabilizing a ent.

5. Nitrocel ulose containing explosives for propellent, blasting or detonant purposes, having as ingredients a plurality of members of the sub-class of urethanes characterized by containing attached to the nitrogen atom two aromatic groups, one of whlch is a benzyl group.

6. In the gelatinization of cellulose nitric esters in the manufacture of explosives the process which consists in effecting the gelatinization of the cellulose nitric esters or materials containin the same by the aid of a member of the su -class of urethanes containing two aromatic groups attached to the nitrogen element, one of which is a benzyl group.

7. In the gelatinization of cellulose nitric esters in the manufacture of explosives the process which consists in effecting the gelatinization of the cellulose nitric esters or materials containing the same by the aid of a plurality of members of the sub-class of urethanes containing two aromatic groups attached 1 to the nitrogen element, one of which is a benzyl group.

Nitro lycerin 41% Solub e nitrocellulose containing 12.2%

nitrogen 50% Phenyl benzyl urethane 9% 11. The improved explosives substantially in the following proportions:

Nitroglycerin 41 Soluble nitrocellulose containing 12.2 )4

nitrogen 50% Phenyl benzyl urethane 8% Diphenyl urethane 1% In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification.

WILLIAM RINTOUL. THOMAS JOSEPH NOLAN. 

